Shop Watch is a police-backed scheme initiative which sees retailers given secure radios, which can be used to alert each other to the presence of shoplifters, and to call the police to an incident.

The council was asked to encourage retailers to join the scheme, by contributing £500 to reduce the cost of radios for the first ten to sign up, and the council’s finance committee was united in support for the idea.

Councillor Ian Stewart said: “It’s another opportunity for this council to get out there and tell people we do actually care about them. The police have come to us to ask for help to get things mobilised with retailers, and we are the people to do it.”

Deputy mayor Bill Nash said: “It’s important we show good faith to shopkeepers, residents and visitors that we’re taking crime seriously.”

Devon County Council’s Cabinet will be asked next week (Wednesday, December 14) to propose a preferred route to Government for a £180 million improvement scheme for the A30 between Honiton and Devonshire Inn.